Stand By Me
by LOSTrocker
Summary: A AU, Source fic. Notes inside will explain. Tilly and Mac say goodbye to Joe.


A/N: I thought the Source was a decent movie besides the fact they killed off Dawson. I hated that! They didn't even give him a good send off. They could have least gave us a cool montage like they did in the other movies and series but no. Someone seriously needs to kill the writers so I took this matter into my own hands and I put in my OFC that I gave Joe in my other Highlander stories. You can find her in "Thats Why They Call It The Blues".

Stand By Me:  
By: LOSTrocker

It was weird walking into the bar and Joe not being there. The atmosphere was completely different. When he was here the place was happening, full of laughter, talk, and music. Now, it was empty, quiet... dead like he was now. Tilly held back the tears that were threatening to spill over at the thought: dead. Dawson was gone. He would never set foot here again.

"Tills, are you okay?"

The Highlander's voice caused her to come out of her thoughts of Joe. He'd offered to come with her. She didn't want him to at first but now she was glad that Mac was here with her. Saying goodbye was never an easy thing to do.

"Yes, just give me a minute." she answered him.

Tilly brushed back a tear from her eye. Then she took a breath. "Okay." she said.

Mac watched her as she went over to one of Joe's old guitars. She took it in her arms and made her way on stage. Tilly pulled a stage stoll to the centre. She took her place on it. Mac took his own seat infront of her. He would be here only audience tonight.

Tilly tuned the guitar, making sure it was in the right tune. She strummed the guitar to get the melody going, to make it feel right. She hadn't played in a long time. Tilly found it was like riding a bike again. It came easy to her.

"This is for you Dawson." Tilly said, in barely a whisper but Mac heard her loud and clear.

Tilly cleared her throat and started to sing:

"When the night has come  
And the land is dark  
And the moon is the only light we see  
No I won't be afraid  
No I won't be afraid  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me..."

Mac recognized the song right away. It was Joe's favorites.

"...And darling, darling stand by me  
Oh, now, now, stand by me  
Stand by me, stand by me..."  
Of course thats why Tilly chose this song. What better way to say goodbye? It started strong but Tilly was started to choak up. She wished Joe was standing next to her now.  
"...If the sky that we look upon  
Should tumble and fall And the mountain should crumble to the sea  
I won't cry, I won't cry  
No I won't shed a tear  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me..."

She would be damned if she'd cry now. Joe wouldn't want her.

In his chair, Mac could see how hard this was becoming to Tilly. His heart went out to her. Seeing like this brought tears to his eyes. Guilt started to fill his whole being. He might have been the one who physically killed Dawson but he blamed himself for doing so. After all, he was the reason why Joe was gone. Joe wanted to make sure he was The One. It worked but with a price - his life.

Mac wouldn't let Tilly fall apart up there. He went to join her on the finale notes of the song. It was the least he could to do for her, for Dawson.

"...And darling, darling stand by me  
Oh, stand by me  
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me..."

Tilly was surprised when Mac came up to join her. He was no singer that was for sure but she knew why he was doing this. It was to help her and he was saying goodbye too. She knew he blamed himself for Joe's death but she didn't. Taking the blame was one the Highlander's worst habbits.

"...Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me  
Oh, now, now, stand by me  
Oh, stand by me, stand by me, stand by me..."

It was almost over. One more verse and the song would be done. The goodbye would be over. Then what?

"...Darling, darling stand by me  
Stand by me  
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me."

Their duet was over. Tilly was surprised when the tears didn't come. The song turned out to be more of a comfort then anything else because in these short minutes it was like Joe was alive again. At some point Tilly thought she could hear Joe singing along with her. She didn't know if it was her sorrow or her over active imagination but she take it either way.

Mac wasn't so lucky with the tears. The guilt over took him more then the sorrow did. He was the one who ended up breaking down.

Tilly put the guitar down and took Mac's in her arms. "It's okay, it's okay." she tried to sooth him the best she could.

Mac pushed her away. "No, it's not okay!" he yelled at her. "Why don't you hate me right now?! I shoudln't even be here!"

Mac went to storm out of there but Tilly wouldn't let him. She held onto his arm. She wouldn't let him go. Tilly spun him back around so he could look her in the eyes. "Don't you dare Duncan." she warned him.

Mac knew she meant buisness. She only called him Duncan when the time came for it. Now, was the time. "You have every right to be here as I do. Joe would have wanted you here."

"He's gone because of me!" Mac continued. "This is all my fault!"

"Don't do that." she said.

Tilly saw all the guilt and sadness within the Highlander's eyes. It made her heart hurt.

"It's the truth!" Mac reminded her.

"It's far from it!" she snapped at him. "Look Duncan, I know Joe knew what he was doing, and you made it so. His death wasn't in vain, and thats what counts." she sighed. "Plus, I don't forgive you because I never blamed you. You honestly think I could blame you? His bestfriend? I don't think so."

Tilly wiped some of the fresh tears away from Mac's face.

"How are we going to make it throught this?" Mac asked. He'd promised Joe he would take care of Tilly but he didn't know how when he could barely handle himself at the moment.

"The way we've always done it Mac - together." she said.

Mac smiled at her. He saw the truth in her eyes. They would be okay. They come so far now. It would take more then this to break them down. Besides, if they didn't live on for their friend's sake - who else would? Who else would carry on their memory?

"Come on, lets get you home uh?" Tilly suggested. She was more then ready to go home too. This had been one hell of a challenging and overwhealming day for the both of them.

Mac agreed. Tilly helped him to the door. Before they completely took their leave they looked back at the empty bar. It would probably be a long while until they returned here.

"I'll go ahead to the car." Mac informed Tilly. She needed her time alone.

"Are you sure?" she asked him.

He nodded. Mac leaned in a kissed her lightly on the forehead, letting her know he was sure. Tilly watched him walk himself to the thunderbird that waited for them. Then she turned back around. She sighed with a heavy heart.

"Bye Dawson." Then she took her leave from the bar to join Mac in the car.

Fin.

Song: Stand By Me, By: John Lennon (I know it's by somebody else originally but I love Lennon's version of it)


End file.
